Derrick



March 4, 1952 Filed Oct. 20, 1949 W. WIGGINS, JR

DERRICK 2 SHEETS--SHEET l A A n A A n n A n n p (WW yvuvvvvvvv I n ventar Walter Wiggins, Jr.

March 4, 1952 w, W G' JR 2,587,797 DERRICK Filed 001'. 20, 1949 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Walter Wiggins, Jr,

Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DERRICK Walter Wiggins, J r., Washington, D. 0.

Application October 20, 1949, Serial No. 122,530

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in derricks, and although it may be used in various different environments, the invention is primarily intended for use aboard ships carrying diving apparatus for exploration and salvaging purposes, such as is disclosed, for example, in my co-pending application serial No. 94,841, filed on May 23, 1949.

My earlier application discloses a diving apparatus consisting of a submersible vessel suspended by a plurality of cables from a ship and having connected thereto an electric line and a compressed air line for actuating electric lamps, air cylinders, etc., with which the vessel is equipped. The instant invention assumes the form of a derrick adapted to be mounted on the deck of a ship and equipped with means for controllling the suspension cables as well as electric and air lines of the vessel, so that the latter may be raised or lowered as desired.

Some of the advantages of the instant invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efiiclent operation and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a vessel showing the invention installed thereon.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the subject shown in Figure 1, with the derrick in an axially aligned position.

Figure 3 is a top plan view, similar to that shown in Figure 2, but illustrating the mast and boom of the derrick in a laterally swung position.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of one of the oscillatory winch units used in the invention.

Figure 5 is an elevational view, taken in a direction of the arrow 5 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an elevational view, similar to that shown in Figure 5, but illustrating the winch unit for handling the electric line.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line '|1 in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a cross sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 8-8 in Figure 2, and

Figure 9 is a cross sectional detail, taken sub 2 stantially in the plane of the line 9-9 in Figure 8.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention is embodied in a derrick designated generally by the reference character [0, such as may be mounted on the deck of a ship 12 for handling a set of hoisting cables l4, an electric line or cable l6 and a compressedair line or tube l8, which cables and lines are connected to a submersible exploring or salvaging vessel (not shown).

The derrick l0 embodies in its construction a tubular standard 20 mounted on the deck of the ship l2 and accommodating a rotatable mast 22, this mast being adapted for oscillatory'movement above a vertical axis and being turned from one side of the ship to the other by an electric motor, or the like, 24 which is mounted on the ship by a bracket 26 and is operatively connected to the mast 22 by suitable gearing 28.

One end of a substantially horizontal boom 30 is secured to the upper end of the mast 22 which also carries a horizontal cross bar 32, while the free end of the boom 30 is provided with a transverse member 34, as shown.

A supportin limb 36 extends downwardly from an intermediate portion of the boom 30 and is provided at its lower end with a rotatable roller 38 traveling upon an arcuate track 40 which is mounted on the deck of the ship l2 concentrically with the axis of the mast 22, whereby thelatter is maintained in an upright position.

The several cables l4 and lines IE, IS pass through a plurality of guide assemblies 42 provided on the cross bar 32 and transverse member 34, these guide assemblies being,similar in construction, so that a description of one will sufiice for all.

The cross bar 32 and the transverse member 34 are provided with suitable openings 44 each accommodating one of the guide assemblies 42, the latter consisting of a pair of spaced vertical rollers 46 affording therebetween a passage for a cable or line through the opening 44, while a horizontal roller 48 is mounted between the lower ends of the vertical rollers 46, as shown. The ends of the several rollers are provided with suitable trunnions whereby rotatable mounting thereof is facilitated, and while intermediate portions of the rollers are substantially cylindrical, their end portions are preferably frusto-conical so that a cable or line is urged to a centralized position on the roller when coming in contact therewith.

The guide assemblies 42 on the transverse member 34 are intended to accommodate any angular deviation in the stretches of the cables and lines between the member 34 and the vessel, while the guide assemblies on the cross bar 32 are similarly intended to accommodate any angular deviation in the stretches of the cables and lines between the cross bar and the winch units presently to be described.

These winch units are designated generally by the reference characters 50, 52 and 54, the units 50 being intended to accommodate the cables I and there being as many of the units 50 as there are cables. On the other hand, only one of the units 52 is provided to accommodate the electric line l6 and similarly, only one of the units 54 is provided to accommodate the compressed air line l8.

Each of the units consists ofa bearing bracket including an inverted J-shaped section 56 and a complemental flange section 58 (see Figures 4 and 5) these two sections being secured to the deck of the ship and being provided with a pair of spaced and vertically opposed bearings to rotatably receive upwardly and downwardly projecting trunnions 60, 62 respectively on a rectangular frame 54. A rotatable, horizontal drum 56 is mounted in this frame and is operatively connected to an electric motor, or the like, 68, with which the frame is also equipped, as is best illustrated in Figure 5. It will be apparent from the foregoing that by simultaneously energizing the several Winch units 50, the submersible vessel (not shown) may be lowered or raised, as desired.

The construction of the Winch units 52, 54 is similar to that described in connection with the winch unit 50, with the exception that the electrical line winch unit 52 is provided with the conventional current collector (see Figure 6), while the compressed air line winch unit 54 is equipped with a conventional swivel coupling (not shown) for delivering a supply of compressed air to the hose wound on the winch drum.

In any event, the essence, of novelty in the invention resides in the swingable mounting of the several winch units in the bearing bracket sections 55, 58, which mounting enables the winch drums to swing about a vertical axis and to thereby automatically align themselves with the guide units 42 on the cross piece 32 when the mast 22 and the boom ar swung from one side to the other. In this manner, assurance is had that the cables-and lines will always be Wound on their separate drums.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessal'y.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a derrick, the combination of an upright mast adapted for oscillation about a vertical axis, a laterally extending boom secured to said mast, a horizontal cross-bar mounted on the mast for oscillation therewith, a plurality of spaced guides on said cross-bar, a plurality of stationary bearing brackets disposed remotely from said mast, a set of winches each swingable about a vertical axis in one of said brackets, and hoisting cables extending from said winches over said guides to said boom, whereby said winches may swing in said brackets in response to oscillation of said mast to maintain stretches of said cables between the winches and said guides in proper alignment.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein, each of said guides comprises a pair of spaced vertical rollers rotatably mounted on said crossbar and affording a cable passage therebetween, and a horizontal roller rotatably mounted on the cross-bar and extending between the lower ends of the vertical rollers.

WALTER WIGGINS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 487,865 Hulett Dec. 13, 1892 900,685 Knuppel Oct. 6, 1908 1,316,589 Nelson Sept. 23, 1919 1,739,353 Criteser Dec. 10, 1929 1,806,482 Mellon May 19, 1931 2,378,254 Swaney June 12, 1945 

